Superfood Tip: Apples

by Shereen Jegtvig

Superfoods are foods that contain some extra health benefits beyond general nutrition.  Apples are superfoods because they are rich in phytochemicals and fiber, plus they contain lots of vitamins and potassium, while being very low in sodium. Fresh apples are found in every grocery store, and you’ll be able to find the flavors and textures that suit your tastes.  Some apples are sweet and juicy while others are tart and crisp. Your local grocer can help you choose specific apples for eating or for cooking.

While fresh apples are…

…the best choice for good nutrition, canned apples may be more convenient at times.  Of course, when you look at canned fruits, you have to expect things you won’t find in fresh apples, like sweeteners and artificial colors, which would make your apples less super.

Here’s a look at the canned apples in our FoodEssentials database, arranged by presence of colors:

Three varieties of canned apples contain colors.  The top two contain artificial colors while the third is colored with natural foods.  Best to skip the first two brands. If we arrange the canned apples by presence of sweeteners, we see:

Six of the canned apples contain high fructose corn syrup that adds extra calories and no nutritional value.

Most of us need to add more fruits and vegetables to our diets and we can do that with some canned fruits.  But some are filled with sugar, additives and things you don’t want.  Be sure to read the labels when you choose canned apples or any other type of canned fruits.

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